The invention relates to a switching power supply (SPS) converting an AC or DC input voltage into an unregulated high frequency AC output voltage or a regulated DC output voltage. Conventional topologies are implemented, wherein power factor correction and/or resonant operation is accomplished.
By definition, any switch operates in binary mode. It is either turned on or turned off. However, the switch operates in linear region during a transition interval. In particular, numerous parasitic capacitances and inductances appearing in a switched circuit must be recharged. These components often form resonant networks that generate parasitic oscillations. The oscillations contribute to energy loss and always-undesirable EMI/RFI. A soft switching is used to reduce these effects. The linear region of the switch is expanded; the parasitic components are recharged at a reduced rate while the switch acts like a snubbing resistor. However, except for specific low power applications, energy loss of the switch is unacceptable. A hard and thus uncontrollable switching has exactly the opposite effect as merely losses of the switch are minimized.
Generally, resonant SPSs are inherently inferior to square-wave SPSs. The resonant SPSs develop a sinusoidal voltage and/or current. However, this is associated with a considerable interval, usually near zero crossing of the respective sinusoidal signal, when energy transfer is minimal or none. Therefore, the resonant SPSs require power semiconductors having higher current and/or voltage ratings. An output capacitor carries a high ripple current. By contrast, in the square-wave SPSs a maximum energy transfer is accomplished instantaneously.
The resonant SPSs have other inherent flaws. The resonant or switching frequency is determined by additional LC components, or an additional capacitor and leakage inductance of the power transformer. These components are fixed and so is the turn-on or turn-off time. Pulse frequency modulation (PFM) is often used to accomplish the regulation. Implementation of pulse width modulation (PWM) or other preferred switching scheme is often impractical. A minimum load may be necessary to avoid large variations of the switching frequency. Moreover, the maximum switching frequency can be quite high if it is determined by the leakage inductance. The resonant SPSs are preferred in special applications, such a high voltage conversion. General purpose resonant SPSs are costly and constitute a small fraction of all SPSs manufactured today.
Linear power supplies have tremendous advantages over SPSs. Any SPS is basically a high power oscillator that is rich with switching harmonics. Moreover, if AC line is used as the input source, numerous line frequency harmonics are created. The SPSs are therefore excellent sources of both conducted and radiated EMI. Energy is transferred from the input to the output in quanta. A current applied to an output capacitor is zero or otherwise never constant, even when the load is fixed. Therefore, the output ripple voltage delivered to the load is significantly larger. Statements about obsolescence of linear power supplies in view of apparent superiority of SPSs are common and greatly exaggerated. The staggering popularity of the linear power supplies is a clear evidence of unsolved and severe deficiencies in the SPSs. For example, a two-stage regulation is commonly used. A low-dropout (LDO) regulator follows an SPS in order to combine relatively high efficiency with low noise and fast transient response. Newest LDO regulators operate without an output capacitor, which at least maintains the gap between the linear power supplies and the SPSs.
SPSs exist only because of smaller size and weight at given output power. Generally, switching frequency and efficiency of an SPS determine its size and weight. The output ripple voltage is reduced by increasing the switching frequency and enforcing post-filtering. However, the frequency may be severely limited by a switching scheme, in particular PWM, rather than switching capabilities of real components. Post-filtering increases size and power losses, and severely affects stability and transient response. Efficiency is most effectively boosted by optimizing losses during transition intervals and minimizing conduction of switching components. Therefore, MOSFETs and synchronous rectifiers are favored. Additional reactive components are used to minimize voltages and currents that the switches endure during transition intervals. Therefore, zero-voltage and zero-current switching schemes are favored.
The performance of the power transformer operating at a high switching frequency can be understood with the help of a simplified model. Primary and secondary leakage inductances are caused by incomplete magnetic coupling between primary and secondary windings of the transformer. Primary and secondary resistances reflect copper loss of the respective windings. Skin effects further increase the resistances. The leakage inductances and the resistances are effectively coupled in series with the respective windings, wherein transformed voltages are reduced. Primary and secondary intra-winding capacitances establish resonant networks. Moreover, rapid recharging of the transformer causes current spikes. Inter-winding capacitances further contribute to performance limitations. A magnetizing inductance is determined by permeability and crossectional area of the magnetic core, and by the number of turns. A magnetizing resistance represents core loss. Eddy-current loss increasing with the switching frequency, hysteresis loss increasing with flux density and residual loss due partially to gyromagnetic resonance contribute to this resistance.
The leakage inductance of the power transformer is often the key parasitic element and the largest single factor in degrading the performance of an off-line SPS. An ideal transformer has no leakage inductance because magnetic fields generated by the primary winding are entirely contained by the core and coupled completely to the secondary winding. The leakage inductance represents magnetic fields that do not couple with both the primary and secondary windings. The inductive leakage energy is transferred to a snubber capacitor. A diode is employed for charging the capacitor to a peak voltage. However, parasitic capacitances are charged to that voltage as well. As the diode ceases the conduction, the respective resonant circuit continues to oscillate at a very high frequency. Obviously, the oscillations appear directly at the input. They are also applied to the collector or drain of the power switch, usually to its case, and further to a heat sink. Moreover, the oscillations are transferred to all other windings and are thus applied to all components connected thereto. Numerous filters, snubbers, shields and beads redistribute and reduce somewhat leakage energy that is wasted in form of heat and EMI/RFI.
The value of the leakage inductance is determined primarily by physical dimensions. For example, safety regulations of various countries require specified amounts of spacing and insulation between the windings. Turns ratio of a typical off-line transformer makes it difficult for the secondary winding to uniformly cover the primary winding. Furthermore, economics may be an overriding consideration since some core shapes are easier and less expansive to wind than others are. Transformer design becomes a tradeoff between these and other factors that always result in a significant amount of the leakage inductance.
The present invention is intended to provide SPSs incorporating power factor correction and/or switching at resonant transition. Conventional topologies are implemented. These include flyback, forward, half-bridge, full-bridge and push-pull SPSs. The invention offers the perfect compromise between the soft and hard switching schemes. Any switch is driven hard, whereas voltages across critical passive components vary at a rate predetermined by a resonant network. Therefore, the square-wave switching at a resonant transition is accomplished. Moreover, some parasitic elements of the passive components are taken into account. A front-end is added for providing power factor correction. A parallel operation is achieved, wherein energy derives from line and a holdup capacitor. Accordingly, switching components of the front-end transfer merely a fraction of energy delivered to the SPS. Yet, an input current flowing through an input inductor can be changed independently of the output current of the SPS. Only two switches are required to accomplish power factor correction and the resonant operation. No output inductor is necessary. PWM can be used. Furthermore, a forward SPS employs a single output diode. A quarter-bridge SPS employs only one switch and carries out the push-pull operation. A transformer-less SPS employs a pair of inductors and one or two switches. The SPS is capable of simultaneously regulating two output voltages having opposite polarities. In the following disclosure, the term converter refers to a block performing an essential function within a parent SPS.
The SPS according to the present invention converts an AC input voltage into an output voltage or voltages. A rectifying means rectifies the input voltage. A front-end means has a terminal coupled to the rectifying means for storing a holdup voltage and selectively applying the holdup voltage to the terminal. A converter means converts a voltage appearing at the terminal into the output voltage or voltages. An inductive means is coupled between the rectifying means and the terminal for attaining a current. A capacitive means stores the holdup voltage. A second rectifying means limits the voltage at the terminal substantially to the holdup voltage. A switching means selectively applies the holdup voltage to the terminal.
In another embodiment, the SPS converts an input voltage or voltages into a DC output voltage or voltages. A first inductive means attains a current. A switching means selectively applies the input voltage or voltages to the first inductive means. A second inductive means provides a primary voltage in response to the current. A first capacitive means stores the primary voltage. A rectifying means rectifies the primary voltage. A second capacitive means is coupled to the rectifying means for providing the DC output voltage or voltages. The second inductive means may include a third inductive means for providing a secondary voltage in response to the primary voltage, wherein the rectifying means rectifies the secondary voltage. A transformer represents the second and third inductive means that are electromagnetically coupled. A primary winding provides the primary voltage in response to the current. A secondary winding provides the secondary voltage.
In yet another embodiment, the SPS converts an input voltage into a DC output voltage or voltages. A first inductive means attains a first current. A second inductive means attains a second current. A third inductive means provides a primary voltage in response to the first and second currents. A first capacitive means stores an intermediate voltage. A switching means selectively applies the first current to the third inductive means and selectively applies the intermediate voltage to the second inductive means. A first rectifying means applies the intermediate voltage to the first inductive means and applies the second current to the third inductive means. A second rectifying means limits the primary voltage and provides the DC output voltage or voltages. A second capacitive means stores the DC output voltage or voltages.
In still another embodiment, the SPS converts an input voltage into a DC output voltage or voltages. A first inductive means attains a current. A second inductive means provides a primary voltage in response to the current. A first capacitive means stores an intermediate DC voltage. A first switching means selectively applies the intermediate DC voltage to the first inductive means. A second switching means selectively applies the current to the second inductive means. A first rectifying means applies the input voltage to the first inductive means. A second rectifying means applies the intermediate DC voltage to the second inductive means. A third rectifying means limits the primary voltage and provides the DC output voltage or voltages. A second capacitive means stores the DC output voltage or voltages.